Golf club stabilizing device and method of its use

ABSTRACT

A golf club stabilizing device includes a flexible rod (e.g., a fiberglass rod) encircled by one or more compressible spacers (e.g., polyurethane foam spacers) secured thereto by adhesive and/or heat shrink. When inserted into the hollow shaft of a golf club, the spacers are at least somewhat compressed, thereby exerting a force on the inside wall of the shaft that inhibits motion of the flexible rod relative to the shaft.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 62/658,702, filed 17 Apr. 2018, which is hereby incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to sporting equipment. In particular, the present disclosure relates to an apparatus that a golfer can use to better control his or her swing.

Many golfers struggle with fade or slice, sometimes to the extent that shots off the tee end up well out of bounds. Fade and slice can be exacerbated by large club heads and/or shaft flexibility. Golfers, however, may dislike the feel and/or performance of clubs with stiffer shafts and/or adjustable weights in the head.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Disclosed herein is a golf club stabilizing device, including: a flexible rod; and a compressible spacer encircling the flexible shaft. According to aspects of the disclosure, the flexible rod is a fiberglass rod and the compressible spacer is a polyurethane foam spacer.

In embodiments of the disclosure, there can be two, three, or more compressible spacers, spaced apart from each other along a length of the flexible rod. One of the compressible spacers can be positioned adjacent a first end of the flexible rod. The compressible spacer(s) can be secured to the flexible rod via adhesive and/or via heat shrink tubing.

The compressible spacer can have a cuboid shape, an annular shape, or any other shape. The compressible spacer includes a bore therethrough to accommodate the flexible rod.

Also disclosed herein is a stabilized golf club, including: a head; a hollow shaft; a grip; and a stabilizing device removably inserted within the hollow shaft. The stabilizing device includes: a flexible rod; and a compressible spacer encircling the flexible rod. The compressible spacer is in contact with and compressed by an inner wall of the hollow shaft of the golf club in order to inhibit motion (e.g., sliding) of the flexible rod relative to the hollow shaft.

The flexible rod can be a fiberglass rod. The compressible spacer can be a polyurethane foam spacer.

According to aspects of the disclosure, the compressible spacer includes a plurality of compressible spacers, spaced apart from each other along a length of the flexible rod. The spacer(s) can be secured to the flexible rod via adhesive and/or via heat shrink tubing.

The compressible spacer can have an annular shape, a cuboid shape, or any other shape. The compressible spacer can include a bore to accommodate the flexible rod.

The instant disclosure also provides a method of stabilizing a golf club having a hollow shaft. The method includes inserting a stabilizing device into the hollow shaft. The stabilizing device includes: a flexible rod (e.g., a fiberglass rod); and a compressible spacer encircling the flexible rod, such that the compressible spacer is in contact with and compressed by an inner wall of the hollow shaft of the golf club in order to inhibit motion (e.g., sliding) of the flexible rod relative to the hollow shaft.

The foregoing and other aspects, features, details, utilities, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from reading the following description and claims, and from reviewing the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a golf club.

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a golf club stabilizing device according to aspects of the instant disclosure.

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates installation of a golf club stabilizing device according to aspects of the instant disclosure into the shaft of a golf club.

While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes illustrative embodiments. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The instant disclosure provides apparatus and methods for stabilizing golf clubs. In this regard, FIG. 1 depicts a golf club 10, which generally includes a shaft 12 having a head 14 at its distal end and a grip 16 at its proximal end. Those of ordinary skill in the art will be familiar with the construction of golf club 10, such that aspects thereof will only be explained to the extent necessary to understand the instant disclosure.

FIG. 2 depicts a golf club stabilizing device 20 according to aspects of the present teachings. Golf club stabilizing device 20 generally includes a flexible rod 22 and a compressible spacer 24 that encircles flexible rod 22. In embodiments disclosed herein, golf club stabilizing device 20 includes multiple spacers 24; FIG. 2 depicts three such spacers 24, but it should be understood that more or fewer spacers 24 can be employed without departing from the scope of the instant disclosure.

Flexible rod 22 is dimensioned for insertion into shaft 12 of golf club 10. According to aspects of the disclosure, flexible rod 22 is a fiberglass rod, such as the orange reflective rod, item number 848638, available from The Hillman Group of Cincinnati, Ohio. In other aspects of the disclosure, flexible rod 22 can be a graphite rod. Of course, other materials can be used for flexible rod 22 without departing from the scope of the instant teachings.

The overall length of flexible rod 22 can vary, for example, depending on the length of shaft 12 of golf club 10. In one embodiment, however, the overall length of flexible rod 22 is about 29.625 inches.

Spacers 24 encircle flexible rod 22 at intervals along the length of flexible rod 22 (that is, spacers 24 are spaced apart from each other along the length of flexible rod 22). Just as the overall length of flexible rod 22 can vary depending on the length of shaft 12 of golf club 10, so too can the positioning of spacers 24 along the length of flexible rod 22 and the spacing between spacers 24 vary depending on the length of shaft 12 of golf club 10. In one embodiment disclosed herein, a first spacer 24 a is adjacent the proximal (e.g., grip) end of flexible rod 22, a second spacer 24 b is located about 4 inches distal (e.g., towards head 14) of first spacer 24 a, and a third spacer 24 c is located about 15 inches from the distal (e.g., head) end of flexible rod 22.

Spacers 24 can be made out of a polyurethane foam. Each spacer 24 can include a central bore to accommodate flexible rod 22 therethrough. In some embodiments of the disclosure, each spacer 24 has an overall cuboid shape of about 1 inch by 1 inch by 1 inch. In other embodiments of the disclosure, each spacer 24 has an overall annular shape of about 1 inch diameter and 1 inch length (as measured along the length of flexible rod 22). The ordinarily skilled artisan will appreciate from the description herein, however, that spacers 24 can take other shapes without departing from the scope of the instant disclosure.

Various approaches are contemplated in order to secure spacers 24 in position along flexible rod 22. For example, spacers 24 can be secured in position using adhesive (e.g., Scotch® Maximum Strength Adhesive from 3M). Optionally, spacers 24 can be wrapped with tape (e.g., Scotch® Long Lasting Storage Packaging Tape from 3M) to further secure them in position along flexible rod 22.

Alternatively, spacers 24 can be secured to flexible rod 22 using a heat shrink 26 (e.g., a polyolefin heat shrink tubing).

FIG. 3 depicts the use of golf club stabilizing device 20. As shown in FIG. 3, golf club stabilizing device 20 is inserted into the hollow interior of shaft 12 of golf club 10, for example by removing grip 16 from the proximal end thereof. Spacers 24 are in contact with and at least somewhat compressed by the inner wall of shaft 12 of golf club 10. Thus, when inserting golf club stabilizing device 20 into shaft 12, it may be necessary for a user to manually compress spacers 24 at least somewhat in order to fit them within shaft 12. As spacers 24 attempt to re-expand to their neutral size, they will exert forces on the inner wall of shaft 12 that tend to inhibit motion (e.g., sliding) of flexible rod 22 relative to shaft 12. Because spacers 24 are not affixed to the inner wall of shaft 12, however, a user can still remove golf club stabilizing device 20 from shaft 12 if desired. Moreover, because shaft 12 often tapers towards head 14, omitting spacers 24 from the distal (e.g., towards head 14) portion of flexible rod 22 can facilitate insertion of golf club stabilizing device 20 into shaft 12.

Advantageously, golf club stabilizing device 20 allows a golfer that struggles with excessive fade or slice to better control his or her swing, resulting in reduced lateral ball spin, and therefore a straighter drive. For instance, a golf club 10 without golf club stabilizing device 20 installed may result in a fade off the tee of between about 50 yards and about 100 yards; with golf club stabilizing device 20 installed, the fade may be reduced to about 10 yards to about 20 yards.

Although several embodiments have been described above with a certain degree of particularity, those skilled in the art could make numerous alterations to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention.

All directional references (e.g., upper, lower, upward, downward, left, right, leftward, rightward, top, bottom, above, below, vertical, horizontal, clockwise, and counterclockwise) are only used for identification purposes to aid the reader's understanding of the present invention, and do not create limitations, particularly as to the position, orientation, or use of the invention. Joinder references (e.g., attached, coupled, connected, and the like) are to be construed broadly and may include intermediate members between a connection of elements and relative movement between elements. As such, joinder references do not necessarily infer that two elements are directly connected and in fixed relation to each other.

It is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not limiting. Changes in detail or structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A golf club stabilizing device, comprising: a flexible rod; and a compressible spacer encircling the flexible shaft.
 2. The golf club stabilizing device according to claim 1, wherein the flexible rod comprises a fiberglass rod.
 3. The golf club stabilizing device according to claim 1, wherein the compressible spacer comprises a polyurethane foam spacer.
 4. The golf club stabilizing device according to claim 1, wherein the compressible spacer comprises at least two compressible spacers, wherein the at least two compressible spacers are spaced apart from each other along a length of the flexible rod.
 5. The golf club stabilizing device according to claim 4, wherein the at least two compressible spacers comprises at least three compressible spacers, wherein the at least three compressible spacers are spaced apart from each other along the length of the flexible rod.
 6. The golf club stabilizing device according to claim 5, wherein one compressible spacer of the at least three compressible spacers is positioned adjacent a first end of the flexible rod.
 7. The golf club stabilizing device according to claim 1, wherein the compressible spacer comprises a cuboid compressible spacer.
 8. The golf club stabilizing device according to claim 1, wherein the compressible spacer comprises an annular compressible spacer.
 9. The golf club stabilizing device according to claim 1, wherein the compressible spacer is secured to the flexible rod via adhesive.
 10. The golf club stabilizing device according to claim 1, wherein the compressible spacer is secured to the flexible rod via heat shrink.
 11. A stabilized golf club, comprising: a head; a hollow shaft; a grip; and a stabilizing device removably inserted within the hollow shaft, the stabilizing device comprising: a flexible rod; and a compressible spacer encircling the flexible rod, wherein the compressible spacer is in contact with and compressed by an inner wall of the hollow shaft of the golf club in order to inhibit motion of the flexible rod relative to the hollow shaft.
 12. The stabilized golf club according to claim 11, wherein the flexible rod comprises a fiberglass rod.
 13. The stabilized golf club according to claim 11, wherein the compressible spacer comprises a polyurethane foam spacer.
 14. The stabilized golf club according to claim 11, wherein the compressible spacer comprises a plurality of compressible spacers, wherein the plurality of compressible spacers are spaced apart from each other along a length of the flexible rod.
 15. The stabilized golf club according to claim 11, wherein the compressible spacer is secured to the flexible rod via adhesive.
 16. The stabilized golf club according to claim 11, wherein the compressible spacer is secured to the flexible rod via heat shrink.
 17. The stabilized golf club according to claim 11, wherein the compressible spacer comprises an annular compressible spacer.
 18. The stabilized golf club according to claim 11, wherein the compressible spacer comprises a cuboid compressible spacer.
 19. A method of stabilizing a golf club having a hollow shaft, the method comprising: inserting into the hollow shaft a stabilizing device comprising: a flexible rod; and a compressible spacer encircling the flexible rod, such that the compressible spacer is in contact with and compressed by an inner wall of the hollow shaft of the golf club in order to inhibit motion of the flexible rod relative to the hollow shaft.
 20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the flexible rod comprises a fiberglass rod. 